


Chinks

by Pucca



Series: Lucky Lucy Of Fairy Tail [3]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Bonding, Erza Has Nightmares, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lucy Gives Comfort, Nakamaship, Nightmares, These two have such a wonderful relationship and it's a shame it wasn't explored more in the manga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 09:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14808429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pucca/pseuds/Pucca
Summary: The people of Fairy Tail had an annoying habit of finding chinks in her armor and wedging themselves where her protected heart was.





	Chinks

Erza didn’t want to get close to anyone. People that she got close to were inevitably taken away from her and Erza was left alone again with an even bigger hole in her heart than before. That didn’t stop people from worming their way under her skin and into her heart however. It had been Gray first with his stupid questions and his stupid inability to just leave well enough alone. Than it had been Natsu with his pure stubbornness and contagious attitude. Than it had been Cana with her easy camaraderie and light hearted teasings that could chase away any heavy clouds hanging over Erza’s heart, even if it was only for a while. Than it had been Lisanna with her teasing smiles and soft grins, and Elfman with his soft as a marshmallow heart. Even Mirajane was starting to grow on her (but Erza would  _ never  _ tell the hussy that). 

So she guessed, Erza shouldn’t have been very surprised when Lucy was next. Only she  _ was _ surprised and she didn’t know what bothered her more. That Erza was surprised or that Lucy had managed to mean so much to her in such little time. Lucy had only joined the guild two months ago and she was only just coming out of her shell. Erza found her adorable.

“You’re so cool and pretty and  _ coooool _ ,” Lucy giggled from under Erza’s arm. Erza shot another look at Cana, wondering if she had spiked Lucy’s birthday cake. No, if she did than Erza would have noticed, she had eaten even more of the strawberry birthday cake than Natsu. Who knew something so simple looking would be so life changing?

“Are you okay Lucy? Did Cana give you something to drink?” Erza asked, silently promising if she had Erza would  _ kill her _ . Lucy was much too small and skinny to be drinking. What if she got alcohol poisoning because her body couldn’t absorb it?

“Nope,” Lucy giggled again. “I’m just ti-ti--” Lucy yawned loudly, letting Erza see all of her perfect, shiny teeth. “---tired. I get a little talky when I get tired.”

“Oh, okay,” Erza’s shoulders relaxed. At least Lucy wasn’t drunk. “Come on, let’s get you home. Where do you live?”

Lucy frowned, “Can’t I just stay with you Erza? Please?”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Erza frowned, since she wasn’t 15, yet the landlady at Fairy Hills let her slide with only paying half the rent but was she allowed outside guests? She knew boys weren’t allowed,  _ period _ , but what about girls? She would have to look into that.

“Please,” Lucy begged, looking up at Erza with the sweetest puppy dog eyes she had ever seen and a little pout to go along with it. How had she gotten roped into this again? Why not Natsu or Gray? Oh right, because they were idiots and she hadn’t wanted them corrupting poor, innocent Lucy. 

“Fine,” Erza gave in with a sigh. It hadn’t even been hard decision, she was already deciding where Lucy could sleep. Her bed was large enough for both girls, she would just have to make sure to clean up any sharp objects lying around so Lucy didn’t accidentally impale her foot on a spare javelin. 

“Yay! Sleepover!!” Lucy grinned, grabbing Erza’s hand and pulling her towards Fairy Hill.

* * *

 

Erza had given Lucy a pair of her spare pajamas to wear, they were about the same size. Even if Erza was a bit...bigger in the chest area. It wasn’t her fault she was going through puberty! If anything, it was a pain in her ass considering how much new armor she needed to order now. Erza quickly turned off the lights and crawled into bed with Lucy. Erza was stiff as a board. How did you do this? Was she doing it right? What do you do at a sleepover? Were you supposed to offer your guests refreshments? Snacks? A spare pillow or blanket?

“Erza?” Came Lucy’s soft, sleep ladened voice.

“Yes Lucy?” Erza asked hesitantly. The two girls were facing each other and it was dark as night in Erza’s room, but this close up and they could just make out each other’s features. Lucy’s was heavy with sleep and Erza’s face was pinched with doubt. 

“You’re thinking too much,” Lucy yawned, she was already half asleep and was barely aware of what she was saying or doing. Lucy had never had a sleepover either, her mom had always been too sick to ever have anyone over and since she was homeschooled, that didn’t lend a lot of time for friends or meeting people close to her age. After her mom’s health took a turn for the worst, there was no time at all. 

Lucy reached over and wrapped her arm around Erza’s shoulder, pulling her close enough that their noses were almost touching. Lucy breathed out softly, eyelids already drooping and dozing off. “Sleep time Erza.”

* * *

 

_ The cage they slept in was dark and cold. It was dry but only because it hadn’t rained in months. Wally and Simon and Milliana were sleeping in the corner, huddled together for warmth _

_ The dream warped.  _

_ They had tied her up, arms and legs spread. The ropes were tied so tight she was sure they were cutting off the blood flow to her limbs. She whimpered as they came closer, the knife in their hand all she could see. She was crying and screaming for someone to save her, for anyone to save her, for  _ Jellal  _ to save her.  _

_ “Jellal,” she screamed and shouted and cried like a prayer. _

_ Jellal. _

_ Jellal.  _

_ Jellal.  _

_ Jellal. _

“Erza. Erza. Erza,” a soft voice said in her ear, small hands shaking her. Erza’s eyes snapped open, with her mind still half trapped in the memory all she knew was that it was dark and someone was touching her. Erza grabbed their hands, flipping them over so they were on their front and Erza was twisting their hands behind their back. “Erza!! Erza,  _ stop _ ! You’re  _ hurting  _ me!”

Slowly things came into focus. Under her was a soft bed and spreader not cold, hard dirt. The air smelled faintly of metal and not mildew and unclean bodies. And underneath her was a squirming mass of flesh that smelled like strawberries and vanilla. 

“Lucy?” Oh  _ god _ , Erza let go of her and scrambled back so quickly she fell out of the bed. She had hurt her  _ friend _ . She had hurt  _ Lucy _ . Lucy who had never done anything but be friendly to her even when she was standoffish and socially awkward. Horror filled her face, “I am  _ so sorry _ .”

“It’s okay,” Lucy sat up on the bed, rotating her wrists gently to get rid of the pain. “I shouldn’t have woken you up so suddenly. You looked like you were having a nightmare.”

“I-I was?” Erza tried for a question, tried shooting for surprised and innocent.

“You kept saying Jellal in your sleep. Who’s Jellal?” Erza couldn’t tell if Lucy bought her act or not. It was too dark and she was too far away to see Lucy’s expression.

“N-nobody,” Erza shook her head.

_ That was convincing _ , Erza thought harshly. For a long moment there was no sound and it was still too dark for Erza to make out anything except for the vague shape of the bed. The teenager slowly stood up when Lucy still didn’t say anything. The bed dipped and creaked when Erza made her way to sit on it again. 

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want,” Lucy said finally, just when Erza thought the girl had fallen back asleep. That shocked the scarlet haired teenager, anyone else would have pried.  _ She  _ would have pried. Lucy continued, “There’s not a lot that people know about you and that’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

“Thank you Lucy,” Erza said softly. And Lucy surprised her for the third time that night by wrapping her arms around Erza. 

“I’ll protect you Erza,” there was a promise in Lucy’s voice that touched something deep in Erza, and she found herself clinging on to Lucy as tight as she could. Erza barely realized she was shaking as her vision blurred. Lucy’s words were soft but fierce when she spoke, “I’ll protect you from whatever gives you nightmares Erza. I promise. Celestial mages never break their promises.”

It didn’t take long for Erza to fall asleep after but Lucy was asleep long before her. As tendrils of light crawled into her room, as the sun came up, waking up Erza gently. She realized with a sleep fogged mind that she had fallen into a dreamless sleep, the first one in weeks. As her eyes opened, Erza saw Lucy’s sleeping face.

A soft smile curled her lips up, Lucy was adorable. In her sleep there was no shyness that pinched at the corners of her eyes. In her sleep, Lucy looked innocent again. Like all the hardships, and everything Erza was sure Lucy had faced, had never happened. She remembered what Lucy had promised her before. Erza sighed, the sound barely there and more fond than anything else. Fairy Tail members had a habit of finding chinks in her armor and wedging themselves under her skin, Erza wasn't sure why she was so surprised that Lucy was the next to do that. Life was no good without the warmth of people who cared about you.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I love little Lucy and I especially love the relationship between Erza and Lucy (both AU and canon).


End file.
